Death Gate

Death Gate (1994)

by Legend Entertainment
Genres:Adventure, Puzzle
Themes:Fantasy
Game modes:Single player
Story:Death Gate is a classic adventure game from the much revered Legend Entertainment. The studio is known for developing games that include exceptionally well crafted puzzles and a wacky sense of humor which frequently breaks the fourth wall and plays to a wide assortment of offbeat puns. Moreover, the company has emerged with a winning streak of fantasy and sci-fi games based on popular literature adaptations. The most famous of these are Frederick Pohl's Gateway and Terry Brooks' Shannara. In 1994, Legend Entertainment has chosen to adapt not 1 book but the whole series of 7 books by Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman known as The Death Gate Cycle. The original release of the game even includes a special gift for fans of the book series, namely an exclusive short story written by the same authors that tells some of the history of the mysterious Assassin's Guild from the series. In Death Gate, the player is cast in the role of a freshly freed Patryn—a young, brave wizard named Haplo. By his deeds in the Labyrinth, he has gained Xar's trust to be sent as a scout to the other 4 realms. The way between them leads through a mystical portal known as the Death Gate. For his journey, Haplo is handed not a single but several quests to complete. He must first explore the realms, learn about the new lands, and find the pieces of the World Seal that will allow the reformation of the world to its original whole. He must also retrieve as much of forgotten magical lore as he can, and find runes that will allow him to enter all the other realms. Finally, and most importantly, he must find out what has happened to the Sartan who seem to have vanished somewhere long ago, so that Xar will be able to bring them to the proper Patryn justice. The game, by taking inspiration from the first 4 books, creates a certain unique experience for the player that stands out among other fantasy adventures. There is an unusually layered structure based on the initial premise of the 5 separate realms, since the consequences of the sundering run much deeper than mere differences in landscapes. From realm to realm life conditions vary enormously, including geography, history, fauna, flora and astronomical bodies. For each realm, the population is divided into very specific societies, although many attributes of each race remain common. Several royal families, powerful guilds, and wealthy, independent merchants all have their own specific goals and ambitions that are not at all connected to the grand schemes of the Patryn and the Sartan, which they mostly are unaware of at this time after centuries of their absence. The distinctiveness of each culture's circumstances and the individual diversity of the larger and smaller schemers within the cast of characters give a special magic and wonder to the proceedings in the game, especially when the player visits a new realm for the first time and starts exploring it. The worlds possess a mysterious, intriguing flavor, but with a touch of whimsical surprises from nearly everywhere. Each encounter with Xar between travels reveals more information concerning the whole mechanics that connect these realms. Death Gate contains some exceptionally good voice acting. This is especially true for Henry Strozier who plays the role of Xar. He carries a low, charismatic, and authoritative voice that perfectly befits a character with a brave heart, long experience, deep wisdom, but a good share of arrogance. He shines for good measure too, since the player will spend more time conversing with his character than any other in the game. Haplo, who is only heard in conversations, voiced by David DeBoy, does not have a plain, uninteresting voice either. He sounds slightly arrogant and lordly like his master, but also rather youthful, yet manly enough to give an air of independency. The MIDI music in Death Gate is very well done. The compositions are perfect for an epic fantasy setting. The tunes are often light and comforting, but they can change dramatically to a more majestic tone when visiting the king's palace and to a darker motif when exploring the undergrounds of Abarrach, the vicious Labyrinth, or the deadly Assassin's Guild. Aside from Haplo and Xar, several other characters from the books also make an appearance in the game. Many of them, however, have been greatly simplified and reduced to only episodic roles with little development. Many major characters from the books are missing altogether, most notably Alfred, whose role is crucial in bringing out Haplo's characterization in the literary originals. On the other hand, some of the memorable archetypes from the books are used in new, interesting ways. For example, a boy named Bane has been recast into a different child with a different life and social standing, though both share a very similar personality. The character that stays most true to the canon is the whimsical, crazy wizard Zifnab, who appears in all his pun infested glory. In general, the plotlines are less violent and happier than those in the books, and the characters show less moral ambiguity. Death Gate plays like a traditional point-and-click adventure game, but like a role-playing game it is as much about being free to explore the fictional world as about following a foreordained storyline thread. There is quite a bit of narrative text, diaries, historical documents, and dialogs to sieve through. They are all well written and are rather fascinating, since everything is directly connected to the quests the player needs to complete or the puzzles the player needs to solve. There is a fine dose of humor in the game too, but nothing so unsubtle that may distract from taking the main conflicts of the story seriously. From this stance, Death Gate is actually quite a departure from the largely comical gallery of previous game titles from Legend Entertainment. The puzzles in Death Gate are a bit on the easy side, but the enjoyment they give is very well balanced by their ingenuity. The wealth of subplots, quests, plot twists, and deceptions add a lot of tension to the player's own proceedings. There is a certain logic and buttons based puzzle that is rather hard to beat. However, the player can ask for help from the game to solve it (or even skip over it). In general, the difficulty level of the game lies somewhere between easy and medium. The player can die in the game, but there is an option available to undo the player's last fatal action. Comparison with the books quickly reveals some of the obvious budgetary or time constraints the developer must have faced during Death Gate's development. Pryan, the realm of fire, is build of elements taken not only of this realm in its original form but also of Chelestra, the realm of water. Consequently, the latter realm has shrunken to a very limited scope in the game. The smallness of Chelestra comes in the game as a particular disappointing revelation, since it is the last of the elemental realms that the player visits. The interface used in Death Gate has evolved from the original Legend Entertainment's interactive fiction interface. There is an always available standard list of commands (such as Take, Look at, or Use) for the player to choose from, reminiscent of Lucasarts' SCUMM interface. In addition, extra action commands specific to an object appear when it is clicked. For example, when clicking on a door, apart from the standard list of verbs, there are added options to unlock, knock, or eavesdrop on the door. There are many actions which are not necessary to complete the game but which trigger funny responses specific to the situation. Altogether, the interface is a clever compromise between the sense of freedom achieved through a text parser and the simplicity of contemporary point-and-click style. Gameplay in Death Gate draws on a few gimmicks that are typical of role-playing games. For some parts of the game, the player is able to have a party of several characters. There is also a process of collecting magical spells, even though they have been tweaked for solving puzzles instead of combat. A spell is constructed by connecting runes in a combination. After that, it is traced in the air by Haplo with his hands to bring the spell into motion. The player will be able to learn many spells in the game, mostly from the mensch. This is an important diversion from the canon, as the mensch from the books possess a different kind of magic altogether. The high resolution graphics of the game will remind fans strongly of fantasy literature illustrated covers. The characters are beautifully detailed in high resolution, but rarely fully animated. However, their faces are always incredibly alive, especially in conversational close-ups. When exploring the game world, the player will notice many intricate but small animations in otherwise generally static sceneries. Major events occurring in the game are partially described in narrative text and partially presented as cut scenes. Sadly, the number of background illustrations in the game is a bit limited. All locations are shown from only a single point of view. Sometimes, the player is drawn to something interesting drawn at the edge of an illustration but is unable to look closely to find out more about it.Show more
user avatarAdded by @Atyth
Vote to bring this game to GOG and help preserve it.
1 516
Trailers and screenshots
Screenshot
Screenshot
Screenshot
Screenshot
Screenshot
Screenshot
Screenshot
Screenshot
Screenshot
Screenshot
Screenshot
Screenshot
Screenshot
Screenshot
Screenshot
Stories about this game (6)
What’s your memory of Death Gate?Share your favorite moments and see what others remember about this game.
user avatar@placeholder

Make sure to follow our Guidelines when adding new Stories.

If not sure what to write:
  • What made this game unforgettable?
  • Who did you play this game with?
  • What made it fun or challenging?
  • Why do you want this game on GOG?
user avatar@Jot2Hauser avatar@Jot2Ha
January 30, 2025
I have always loved the books by Margaret Weis & Tracy Hickman, and as soon as I got this well-written adventure adaptation of the series on my computer, I was completely hooked. Now lost to incompatibility, I would support any effort to make it available again.
user avatar@Dandibaruser avatar@Dandibar
January 30, 2025
I remember playing and loving this game back in the day on my Atari ST. A well written story, easy ui, beautiful interactive graphics and interesting puzzles that were fair because they were mostly logical.
user avatar@MazGothmoguser avatar@MazGothmog
January 30, 2025
As soon as I saw this email asking which games to bring back I immediately thought of Death Gate. It was such a fun first-person puzzle adventure. Hopefully this will allow others to enjoy it as well!
I ADORE the books and would love to give this a try. My only fault is being young enough not to have a computer when this was first released. Please give me the chance to give you my money.
Never had the opportunity to read the books but I played this game a lot back in the day. I really like the magic system and how it was utilized in some of the puzzles. The story was great and the puzzles were just right, with none of that ridiculous moon logic. Still have the original CD, although it would be great to have it on GOG as well.
user avatar@DelirareLuser avatar@DelirareL
April 25, 2025
I got this game back in the day when gaming magazines gave out full older games to promote their publication. The setting is amazing, the story thought provoking and the art gorgeous. And, best of all, as a point-and-click game it does not have point-and-click-game-logic! It is an amazing journey and something I wish would be (again) available on GOG. I do not know what problems with rights led to the very swift disappearance from the store all those years ago, but I missed that very brief moment in time to buy it. Mind you, I still have my old CD, and an abondonware link, but I would really love some professionals to take al look at those DOSBox setups. Please bring it back. Hold it fast, don't let it escape and beware the dragon.
Those games also need your vote!
Bucky O'Hare
Bucky O'HareThis video game is based on the cartoon television series Bucky O'Hare and the Toad Wars under license from Hasbro, Inc. While it is generally classified as a scrolling fighting game, utilizing a Final Fight-esque landscape, the player's character is also armed with a laser gun, adding in elements of a scrolling shooter. However, if the character is extremely close to an enemy, he will throw out his fists to attack - a precursor to the characters featured in Metal Slug, who use knives in close combat. Much like the cartoon, Bucky O'Hare features colorful animation, and voice actors from the series were hired to participate in the game's cut scenes. The player chooses from five protagonists: Bucky O'Hare, the heroic rabbit captain of the space ship Righteous Indignation; Jenny, an "Aldebaran cat" and telepath; Dead-Eye Duck, a four-armed mallard; Willy, a kid from earth that replaced their engineer, and Blinky, a one-eyed android. As in the television series, the characters must stop the Toad Empire from invading extraterrestrial planets and enslaving their peoples; to do so they must shoot their way through an army of brainwashed toads to destroy their evil leader, a computer program known as "Komplex" and release the "Interplanetary Life Force." The enemies, among them Al Negator, Toadborg, Total Terror Toad, a "Cyborg Spider", the various varieties of Toad Storm Troopers, the Toads' Air Marshall, and "Komplex-2-Go" who featured in the comic book and cartoon series continuities.
Action
Science fiction
Action
Science fiction
56
1
Black & White 2
Black & White 2In the game, the player takes the role of a god called from the void (nothingness) to help those who invoked them. However, the player is not an omnipotent style god, but rather a god who rises and falls with his believers and the player must help develop their nature according to their good or evil desires. The player also has a creature, their physical representation in the world, which takes the form of an anthropomorphic ape, lion, wolf, turtle, cow, or tiger. Its physical manifestation can grow to an immense size, and adopt a good or evil persona separate of the player's. They develop their character as the player rewards or punishes their actions. In addition to the god simulation and city-building elements introduced in the original Black & White, Black & White 2 also features elements of real-time strategy gameplay, with the addition of controllable warfare and fighting units.
Top
Action
Fantasy
Comedy
Sandbox
Top
Action
Fantasy
Comedy
Sandbox
77 528
80
Black & White
Black & WhitePlay the role of a deity in a land where the surroundings are yours to shape and its people are yours to lord over. Be an evil, malevolent god and the natives will worship you with fear in their eyes. Play as a kind, benevolent god and they will worship you with love in their hearts. Your actions decide whether you create a heaven or hell for your worshipers. Then select a creature from the land to act as your representative in the world. Raise it to gigantic proportions and teach it to do your bidding--whether the animal grows into an evil colossus of mass destruction or a kind and gentle giant is up to you. Progress through the game's rich storyline performing powerful miracles to battle other deities and become the world's supreme god.
Top
Open world
Sandbox
Top
Open world
Sandbox
92 985
237
SD Gundam Gaiden: Knight Gundam Monogatari 2 - Hikari no Knight
SD Gundam Gaiden: Knight Gundam Monogatari 2 - Hikari no KnightSD Gundam Gaiden: Knight Gundam Monogatari 2 - Hikari no Knight is a Role-Playing game, developed by TOSE and published by Bandai, which was released in Japan in 1991.
New
Fantasy
Science fiction
New
Fantasy
Science fiction
9
SD Gundam Gaiden Knight Gundam Monogatari: Seikihei to Kikoushin
SD Gundam Gaiden Knight Gundam Monogatari: Seikihei to Kikoushin"SD Gundam Gaiden Knight Gundam Monogatari: Seikihei to Kikoushin" is the latest installment in the "SD Gundam Gaiden: Knight Gundam Monogatari" role-playing game series, first released as a home video game in 1990 and ported as cell phone content in 2008. (As of 2010)
New
Fantasy
Science fiction
New
Fantasy
Science fiction
7
Assassin's Creed III: Deluxe Edition
Assassin's Creed III: Deluxe EditionThe year is 1775. The American colonies are about to revolt. You are Connor, an assassin who has sworn to secure liberty for his people and his nation. To do so, you will hunt your enemies across a staggeringly large, open, and realistic world. You will unleash your lethal skills in a violent quest that will take you from chaotic city streets to blood-soaked battlefields in the hostile American wilderness and beyond. You will meet legendary heroes of American history, and together you will conspire to annihilate those who threaten Liberty itself. Whether you use your predatory instincts to kill silently, or your fearsome arsenal to kill openly, one thing is clear: the world that the Assassins live in has become far more deadly. And so have you.
Open world
Historical
Open world
Historical
44
Kidou Senshi Gundam Part 2: Tobe Gundam
Kidou Senshi Gundam Part 2: Tobe GundamKidou Senshi Gundam Part 2: Tobe! Gundam (機動戦士ガンダム PART 2 翔べ!ガンダム "Mobile Suit Gundam Part 2: Fly! Gundam") is an adventure/shooter/RPG from 1984, based on the Mobile Suit Gundam anime series. It anticipated several gameplay elements later found in FPS, TPS and action RPG games.
Action
Science fiction
Action
Science fiction
63
SD Gundam Gaiden: Knight Gundam Monogatari - Ooinaru Isan
SD Gundam Gaiden: Knight Gundam Monogatari - Ooinaru IsanRole-Playing video game released by Angel in 1991 for the Super Famicom. It is based in the SD Gundam universe, a spin-off of the popular mecha anime franchise.
New
Fantasy
Science fiction
New
Fantasy
Science fiction
8
Shin SD Gundam Gaiden: Knight Gundam Monogatari
Shin SD Gundam Gaiden: Knight Gundam MonogatariReleased in 1994 for the Game Boy.
New
Action
Fantasy
New
Action
Fantasy
6
Assassin's Creed: Syndicate - Gold Edition
Assassin's Creed: Syndicate - Gold EditionLondon, 1868. The Industrial Revolution unleashes an age of invention, transforming the lives of millions with technologies once thought impossible. But industrialization only fattens the purses of a privileged few, while workers struggle to survive in the factories that make London the beating heart of the global economy— until an Assassin rallies to their defense, sparking an epic conflict that will echo throughout history. Create the world’s first organized crime family. Conquer the streets of London. Bring the ruling class to their knees. And rise to lead the London underworld in a visceral adventure unlike anything you've played before. Gold Edition includes game and Season Pass- featuring a major expansion plus digital content and exclusives. Season Pass included: 10 hours of extra gameplay: Jack the Ripper campaign, the Last Maharaja mission pack, "A Long Night" exclusive mission, the Streets of London gameplay pack, new gears, weapons, a permanent xp boost and 500 Helix Credits.
Open world
Action
Fantasy
Historical
Science fiction
Stealth
Open world
Action
Fantasy
Historical
Science fiction
Stealth
214
1